Trust the Organic Process, The Synergy of Success

Organic Coaching for the Win #FTW

The synergy of success

Do not fear going forward slowly, fear only to stand still.

        Chinese Proverb

Introduction

Do you know what it takes to get the best out of yourself?  As a coach, I had a understanding what it would take. But for several years, as an athlete, I wasn’t ready to take that leap  for myself to test it out.

Life throws a lot at us and we all try to seek balance. The challenges of life can slow our progress towards our big goals; it’s part of the process. For success, timing is crucial. In the case of my journey to both distance Ironman World Championships in 2017, the timing was so right. This is a recap of the organic process and synergy leading to this year’s Ironman success.

Start with Timing and Trust

Last June I decided attempt to Kona Ironman World Championship Qualify at Ironman Florida. I told my Coach, Slayer, a licensed psychologist,  I was “all in” and I was. I was willing to trust him. I was willing to #ListenToSlayer.

For years, I’ve known what it would take to get there but was not willing to make the necessary sacrifices. It just  hadn’t been my KQ season yet. I’m a mother and my children needed that quality time. No regrets though! I am grateful that I could be there for them. I was also building my coaching firm FX Multisport, all while continuing to work as a registered nurse. Needless to say, I stay busy. However, it was now time to assume the role of my new nickname, KO, and go for the knockout punches. Take the risk and see how it goes.  

Collaborative Choo 70.3 TriCamp

Trust the (Organic) Process

2016 was the year the synergy came together. My family gave me their blessing, work cooperated and my passion fueled the desire to make it happen. Through an organic process, Slayer & I  developed a hard working coach/athlete relationship that produced 2 World Championship coins in my pocket, 70.3 Worlds in Chattanooga & Ironman World Championship in Kona. It was more than I ever could have dreamt.

The process of training for any big race requires tons of energy. What does it mean for a process to be organic? “The process” is a living organism, full of life and power that creates the desired changes we need to reach our goals. It is a Synergy!  It’s an energy that needs to be observed and respected.

Working organically means to observe and trust the synergy you are working with. It needs to be natural and intuitive while being patient with “The Process”. One must allow the process to unfold naturally, and not force it. When one feels good, it’s ok to train longer or harder. When one needs a break, one must have respect the body and back off.

Fake or forced energy won’t be helpful. It needs to be real to create lasting change. The more natural or organic your progress is and the more love and passion you have for it, the more rewarding and real the experience will be.  You probably are thinking that these concepts apply not just to sport but everything in life and you are right.

BA Coach Slayer

Important Themes

Coach Slayer had some themes. One theme he repeats is that you #DoYourJob and you will #ReapWhatYouSow. What simple truth. That’s why one must be mindful of the seeds one plants and be sure the soil they are planted in is organic and pure for reaping the best results. We need positive energy to perform our daily best, in training, interactions with friends family, teammates and coworkers. We need to tend to these relationships and nurture them like seeds in a garden. More often than not, they will then yield the best results.

     Take note, a static or compulsively implemented training plan won’t provide the synergy  of an organic process. Nor will it produce the best results you’re striving to achieve. If you line up on a start line without trusting your body and your process, you are taking risks and forcing things. Anything in life that is forced, won’t be allowed to reach full potential.

Passion is at the heart of a successful pursuit. Rewarding experiences take time, so one may as well enjoy it. Find beauty in “the Process”. Savor the good moments and learn from the bad ones. Recognize where you pushed too hard or not hard enough.

Another theme in this vein is to stay present focused. It really is more about the journey than the destination. Each day matters. Each session matters. By remembering this, you set yourself up for the best chances at the most satisfying outcomes.

I tell my athletes on race day,  focus on the one thing you are doing at the moment.  Be the best you can be, whether it’s technique, breathing, posture, cadence, fueling, power, pace, mental or whatever it is you are doing. Do it to the best of your ability and let the training or race come to you. Focus on the process, not the outcome. That comes later.

Finally, Slayer’s theme of #NoQuit which serves to remind you that during the process there will come times in training and racing that you have to pay a price and get out of your comfort zone. To excel, you have to welcome some discomfort and know that you will get out on the other side. This serves as an inoculation of sorts.  

Why Coaching Serves the Process

Worlds 70.3 Chattanooga 

Working with a coach is one of the best ways to maximize “the Process”. It should be a conscious collaboration without competition to create a synergy of momentum towards one’s goals. There is no room for lukewarm in the process. One is either ALL IN or NOT.  There is no middle ground. Be All IN if you want to reach your full potential.

    If you don’t trust your coach fully, the magic may or may not happen. I wanted to maximize my odds. In order for the organic process to unfold, one must trust the coach and trust “the Process”. Respect what your coach is telling you and follow directions. Provide feedback to them so they know how to make changes that are needed to accommodate your evolving dynamic nature. Why else would you be paying him or her?

As the process is an organic living thing, one must be aware of what our intuition or gut is telling us. If something in your body doesn’t feel right, stop, listen, and communicate with your coach. There’s a message that needs to be heard or a lesson that needs to be learned. Nobody wants injury or illness. Heeding these warning signs can prevent bad things from happening. You and your coach can adjust things. No training plan is concrete and, if treated as static, you will end up losing training time and opportunities. The secret sauce everyone knows by now is consistent training and recovery, not magical sessions.

     Your inner voice is the best indicator of if a given process is effective and working for you or not. Tune in to what your body is telling you and respect that. It’s not always  a perfect process and it usually takes longer than we want. Regardless, we have to respect it and learn as we go. We all want growth. Whether it’s to be faster, stronger, healthier or leaner, THE GOAL IS ORGANIC GROWTH. Natural, true strength and power is the best kind of pure organic energy.

Synergy

    

Steps to Be More Organic

What I learned via my life experiences and time with Coach Slayer are that small daily actions can work for us or against us. Intentional, constructive actions can produce rewarding results. Repeated actions without quitting become habits (sowing the seeds) so be sure to create good ones. Here are some steps I use to enhance the process organically in my daily life as an athlete and as a coach.

1. Prepare your soil. Start with Gratitude. Get the positive mojo flowing. We GET to do this sport, it’s not a job or a chore, we are blessed to be able to do such things. What are you grateful for? Say it, feel it, tell someone you appreciate them. Set the tone for a positive experience.
2. Plant your seeds through daily actions (do your job). Be intentional with your training. Know what your goal for the session is. Every workout should have a purpose, even the easy ones are easy for a reason. Understand what that purpose is & strive to achieve it. Plan your day the night before, set the alarm early, and be consistent with your training. The results will come.
3. Fuel to train not the other way around. Your body is better when treated properly. Eat healthy unprocessed foods and drink lots of clean water to help with recovery.
4. Visualize your perfect race experience daily from start to finish. What does it look like? What are you doing today to thet that result?  Use visual reminders, ( I have a picture of Chrissie Wellington at the Kona finish line at the top of my mirror for the last 2 years)
5. Focus on your own prep and your race. Control the controllables and let go of what you can’t control (serenity prayer). Apply this to racing, training & life in general. Mind your own business and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. It’s wasted energy & you are going to need EVERY OUNCE of your energy for this.
6. Respect your inner voice. Listen to what your body is saying and don’t force something that doesn’t feel right. Flow, don't Force.
7. Communicate with your coach, training partner(s), mentor or someone who is objective. Think through if the training session goal oriented and will you be doing damage to tomorrow by training a certain way today given how you feel? If it doesn’t serve you, modify.
8. Learn from the tough times. Every experience that doesn't go perfectly is a lesson. Write down what critical lessons you learn along the way. Apply those lessons to the next session(s). Then ask “How can I do it better?” This way, you are constantly growing and improving organically.

Closing

When the timing is right to go all in, utilize your passion and take risks. The right support will find you.  Keep it simple, be present, trust the organic process and prepare to receive the magic of the synergy. Maybe not on the scale that I received, but you will. Give thanks for the process and the journey.

Stay humble, work hard and never give up. It may take longer than you hope, but that’s no excuse for quitting. If I had given up just because it was hard or because I didn’t Kona Qualify the first 4 times, the magic would never have happened.  

#TTP and enjoy the ride.

Coach Robyn AKA KO

Coach Robyn's IMKONA Race Report

                               

ALOHA!

Ironman World Championships 2017 Race Report

By  Coach Robyn

                                   
                                     Ironman World Championship's 2017 Recap Video

                YUP, That's me, right there, 
                 loving every second of it :)

     Racing on the Big Island of Hawaii has been a dream of mine for 10 years. After my first Ironman, ten years ago in CDA I vowed to qualify for Kona by the time turned 40. Last year, at age 40, I did just that. On October 14, 2017, that dream came true; age 41.

     My message is that if there's a fire in your belly for something, even if that thing seems very far away or unbelievable, don't ever give up on your dream. It will take hard work, sacrifice, pain & suffering to get there, but it will be worth every bit of it when you reach your goal.

     The following report is more than just a race report, as Kona was more than just a race for me. The whole experience was a magical one. While almost impossible to capture the true magic, this is a brief review of my Kona experience. If you want to skip to the nitty-gritty scroll down to the heading "RACE REPORT".

     I came to Hawaii prepared, having put big training miles in during the year leading up to it. Coach Slayer did everything he could to ready me and I did everything in my power to perform my best on the day.

Coach Slayer & I at Choo 70.3 Worlds

     It was a delicate process, with 70.3 Worlds having been my A race for the year, only a month earlier. My focus had been to perform well on my home stage in Chattanooga. (mission accomplished) Somewhere between 70.3 Worlds & Kona, I strained my calf, minimizing the last few weeks of prep work before the big dance.

                                            

Race Week                                             Tuesday: Race week started with the AWA Gold breakfast, where I had the honor of meeting Mark Allen and Dave Scott. 

Ironman Legends: Ironwar!

I've been a HUGE Mark Allen fan forever, so I was pretty stoked about this! It was a highlight of my trip. 

Wednesday: Athlete check in & cruise the expo. Met a lot of cool people including all-star Faris as Sultan (fan-girl moment!!) and Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman.

Mamma Betty & I crushing Kona :)

Meeting Faris al Sultan, another highlight

We meet again Voice of Ironman!

Thursday: Ride with Team Betty for Cancer awareness & team coffee at Lava Java. Later Team FX Multisport swam together on the IMWC swim course.

                                                   

Team FX Multisport w/ new Wave Swim Buoy

Kona Island LavaJava

Of course the Underpants Run on Thursday night topped off the week in pure Kona celebratory style

Team Betty at Kona

     Blessed to have my best friends Jenny & James Delong, my parents, brother & his wife, my niece & nephew and my ever supportive husband along with my two daughters along for the adventure, we enjoyed the tranquil surroundings & avoided the circus of Kona as much as possible

Friday: PreRace, The red carpet check in procedure was spectacular!You roll your bike and transition bags down this red Ironman carpet and the sponsors give you their support & swag.

Preparing to drop bags & bike:RedCarpet

Mark Allen & Mike Reilly called my name as I walked by!!!! Good Omen. Ok so THAT was AWESOME :) 

Bike & Bags Dropped off: All Good!

FX Multisport Volunteer at KONA

                                         

Always bring my trusted Loadebar with me wherever I go

Race Report

The Swim: The women's race started at 7:20 am. I lined up early at the front and was one of the first to enter the water. We swam up to the start line & tread water for about 10 minutes. I gradually found my space in the line up quite a ways from the buoy line. It wasn't crowded, the energy was calm & sweet. Lots of good vibes were going around. 

The water was calm, clear & warm. When the cannon boomed, I hit start on my Garmin & off we went. There was none of the thrashing & contact that Ive experienced in other mass starts. Soon, I found my pack & we stayed together for the entire swim. Only once did I feel a little sea sick from the swells, but it passed very quickly. The swim went as well as I could have hoped. It was even enjoyable!

Start of women's age group race

As I exited the water, Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman called my name, AGAIN!!! on the  speaker, to my cheer squad's delight. 

Starting the 112 mile bike ride

Transition 1: My volunteer helper was exceptional & I was grateful for her help. Grabbed my shoes & ran to my bike, then pushed the bike to the mount line.













Bike: As I spun out of the transition chute, my crew was standing cheering me on in true FX Fashion. Such great energy!!!

FX Multisport Cheering squad

The ride around Kona town went by quickly & soon we were on the Queen K. The crowd cheering the athletes on provided amplified energy, the sun was shining & the skies were blue. As we began our trek to Hawi via the Queen K highway, I focused on my cadence & hydration, grabbing water from every aid station. As I tried to hold the numbers I was prescribed, it soon became obvious that due to the conditions, I would need to adjust the plan a bit and ride more conservatively, if I wanted to run well off the bike. The heat & high winds were termed "extreme" for the day & played a major role in the execution of the race plan. 

     I felt solid & prepared. My Cervelo P3 from East Ridge Bicycles was steady and comfortable allowing me to stay aero as much as possible. The ENVE wheel set provided the perfect amount of aerodynamic strength against the powerful Hawaiin winds.

      Wearing the Fusion Speedsuit was helpful, pouring water on myself at each aid station to keep the core temperature down. It's also the most comfortable suit, no chafing or discomfort for 112 miles says a lot!

    

     I broke the race down into 25 mile sections and when the mind started to wander, enjoyed the unique Hawaiian scenery & reminded myself to enjoy every pedal stroke because this is what I've dreamt of doing for so long!!

       There was only one problem that I couldn't fix. My tummy. I knew early on it was a problem & couldn't believe my luck. Of course it would be too easy if everything went perfectly. So this was my issue to deal with for the day. 
      At the turn around in Hawi the winds were unreal!! It took so much focus to just keep the bike on the road. Once back onto the Queen K, where I was hoping there would be a tailwind (since we had a head wind on the way out) hot sandy winds beat into my face for the next 90 minutes, head on. Yup, this is Kona. 
     It was a great ride despite the lower watts, slower speed & longer time than expected. 112 miles done!

    Transition 2: Handing off my bike was the best feeling of the day. The first few steps as I ran through T-2 were ones of question. Would I crumble on the run? After quickly changing shoes, I hit a bottle of UCAN & then ran out of the tent to get 26.2 miles done as fast as possible.

     Run: Before the race, coach had prepared me for the heat & energy sucking run down Ali'i drive. Intentionally setting my pace for the first 5 miles to prevent implosion I started out slow. At the 5 mile turn around, I felt ok still, clicking off the miles at around a 9 min/mile pace. The tummy issue was bordering on disaster, not allowing me to take in anything, hit one cup of water in the first 10 miles. 

     Palani Drive is a legit hill that I hit at mile 10-11. My cheering crew was there with the best energy & as we exchanged high-fives & hugs, I assured them that I felt "good". At the top of the hill we turn onto the Queen K for the soul sucking portion of the run. 

     I was thankful for Matt Miller & Base Performance with their fantastic energy & rocket fuel!

    No matter how hard I tried, I could not get my pace over an 8:30 on this section. It felt like the road was saying "nope" this is what you get, no more no less. So I went with it & ran into the beautiful energy lab at sunset. At the turn around in the energy lab, they handed me the dreaded glow stick (I would have preferred to finish in the daylight, but whatever) and I hit a cup of chicken broth hoping to sooth my belly. This is where I said F*!k IT! Im finishing this thing! With 8 miles to go, running on fumes & fire, I ran through the pitch black darkness (there are no lights to light your way).

     According to my watch, my race time was 11:30:00 and I had 30 minutes to reach my goal of a 12 hour Kona IM. This was fuel to my fire as I ran towards the descent on Palani. When I finally got running down the hill, Stephen was there with my daughter, mom & dad, Jenny & James, cousins all decked out in the FX Multisport gear cheering me to the finish. 

     At this point it was mind over matter, willing my legs to keep turning I ran my last mile as my fastest back to Ali'i Drive & the famous Kona finish chute. 

     Lucky for me, the path was a clear one. No one before me or behind me so I could savor the moment that we all have worked so hard for.  
     They called my name (but you can't fool me, it wasn't Mike Rielly) and medical swiftly carried me away for assessment. ( I secretly was hoping Heather Jackson would medal me, but whatever)

     My Garmin time said 11:49 but my official finish time was 11:59:47, just breaking the 12 hour mark. So, I reached my goal, on the nose. Despite all the issues, I am elated with my race experience and enjoyed every step of the way of getting there.

     Special thanks to my husband Stephen whom I could not do any of this without. 

Also big thanks to my sponsors East Ridge Bicycles, Betty Designs, Loadebar, Fusion Sports US, Base Performance, Enve , New Wave Swim Buoy

Thank you to my ever supportive family & friends who joined me for this adventure!

ALOHA!!

What would I do differently? Make Kona my focus & not 70.3 a month before, push the power a bit more on the bike & take in more salt. Pretty sure my normal salt intake was not sufficient for this race. Live & learn.

Ill be back!

P.S. We started this trip with a family of 4 on a plane. The magic of Kona was so powerful that my oldest daughter Alexa decided not to return home to Tennessee with us, but to stay in Kona, on a whim. Please pray for her safety and guidance as she navigates her own personal journey alone on the Island of Hawaii. Hawaii will always have part of my heart & soul. I will forever be rooted to the Big Island.

P.S.S Here is a link to our photos of the trip for anyone who would enjoy a photo tour of our adventures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/71e9nhteea5Qnr4f1

Mahalo!

Ironman Chattanooga 2017 Race Report

On September 24, Team FX Multisport had 11 athletes toe the line at Ironman Chattanooga. The Ironman race consists of a 2.4 miles swim in the Tennessee River, 112 miles of cycling through the Chattanooga Valley followed by a 26.2 marathon through the scenic city. This is THE longest Ironman race with 144.6 miles to complete.

So many things can prevent an athlete from making it to the starting line during their training journey. Most athletes train for at least 1 year for this 1 day event that lasts up to 17 hours. Many of our athletes fought personal battles during their training. From 4 am training rides, overcoming fears, learning new skills, to 7 hour bicycle rides that leave you burnt & chafed in all sorts of uncomfortable areas, one feels the entire spectrum of emotions in this sport.

The elusive Ironman Finisher Chute

Marsha unexpectedly lost her beloved father earlier in the season then developed strep throat the day before the race! Jeff was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer & juggled chemotherapy with his training. Kem suffered a broken hand from a cycling accident & still managed to train through it with the help of his Coach James. Getting to the starting line of the race, is the real journey.

Numerous things can go wrong on race day. There are bike crashes, drafting violations, flat tires, losing bottles & nutrition, cramping, dehydration, illness & muscle strains, all part of the process. The journey that each athlete experiences is unique to their own. It reveals character, builds confidence, requires perseverance, dedication, passion, trust and teaches one the important lesson of learning to go with the flow. Shawn broke 2 toes exiting the swim & continued on with the entire race!

Marsha with a 2 hour PR!

Sometimes the day doesn't go as we hope. Ironman does not define WHO we are, It is something we do but in the process we discover who we are, and that is priceless.

Here is a race report from Mary Kelly. It was such a pleasure to coach her & her husband Doug this season.

Ironman Chattanooga 2017

September 24, 2017

I am an Ironman (again)! On Sunday, September 24

th

, I crossed the finish line of my 3

rd

Ironman

in 13:54, which is a PR of over an hour. What a day, and what a journey this year! I am going to

restate something that I am most proud of...my husband, Doug, and I have crossed each full IM

finish line together. In 2015 we were dating; 2016 we were engaged; 2017 we were finally

married! Surprisingly enough we don’t want to kill each other during these long, stressful (but

very fun) days.

Ironman Chattanooga 2017

September 24, 2017

I am an Ironman (again)! On Sunday, September 24th, I crossed the finish line of my 3rd Ironman in 13:54, which is a PR of over an hour. What a day, and what a journey this year! I am going to restate something that I am most proud of…my husband, Doug, and I have crossed each full IM finish line together. In 2015 we were dating; 2016 we were engaged; 2017 we were finally married! Surprisingly enough we don’t want to kill each other during these long, stressful (but very fun) days.

Pre-Ironman

Thursday before IM, I met Doug at the IM village to quickly check in over lunch. We were given our backpacks (which are way cooler than the last 2 years) and all our race goodies. I grabbed a name shirt for each of us and some Little Debbie snacks on my way out. I felt like such a good triathlete as I ate my oatmeal cream pie on the way back to work (← that was sarcasm)! That night we ate dinner with a good number of our FX Multisport family. It was great to relax and laugh about the long year of training we have all had this year. It’s also nice to hang out with these wonderful people while we aren’t wearing spandex and covered in sweat and who knows what else.

All day Friday I was at work watching the clock to see when I could finally go home. The day passed fairly quickly, and that evening we went to another dinner with the Base Performance team. I have been lucky enough to be on the race team this year. It’s a fun group of people who are very welcoming and encouraging. I strongly suggest anyone interested look at joining that team!

Friday evening I packed all of my transition bags with the help of my trusty checklist. I’m a type-A planner, but what triathlete isn’t? We went to bed fairly early that evening; IM was quickly approaching!

Saturday morning rolled around, and I took our dogs to the vet for boarding. I’m pretty sure they couldn’t make it all day Sunday without going outside, and I didn’t want my parents to feel obligated to let them out for us. I went out to the barn to see my horse after dropping my sweet puppies off (and feeling guilty when the oldest looked back at me like I was abandoning her). Seeing my horse is probably my favorite relaxation place on this earth. No watches, no stats to track, just quiet peace (usually) and happiness! For some reason as soon as 10 am rolled around, the time bike/gear check-in started, I felt like I was running behind and my stress level went up. I quickly checked my gear bags one more time, we loaded the bikes on the car, and off we went back to the IM village.

Bike and gear check-in went smoothly and quickly. Boy, was it getting warm! The heat made me a little stressed about race day, but I have no control over the weather so I tried not to think about it. Doug and I had a light lunch, and then went back to our house to be lazy for the remainder of IM eve. My right heel had been hurting some the last few days, plantar fasciitis coming back, so I iced my foot and hoped for a good day on my feet on Sunday.

Race Day

Bright and early at 4 am, the alarm sounded and we rolled out of bed. Everything was already set out. Clothes, special needs, breakfast, bike nutrition. 20 minutes later we were out the door and arrived at transition right when it was opening, or a little before apparently since we had to wait in line! We dropped of our special needs bags, and then off to the bikes we went to pump up the tires and drop off nutrition. We had planned to meet our favorite training partner, Marsha, to ride over to the swim start together, but somehow we all missed each other. Doug went ahead a few buses before me because I was waiting on Marsha, but when she didn’t show, I went on to the swim start. I maybe sat on the bus stress-sweating because I didn’t want to sit at the swim start by myself and all of the other erratic thoughts one has due to pre-race nerves. Luckily I found my husband and Marsha by walking the line once I got there! Whew, what a relief! We all laid down and tried to get some rest as we waited for the swim start. Time passed quickly, and then BAM race time! I struggled into my swim skin, put my cap and goggles on, and then we started moving quickly to the dock. A hug from Marsha and a kiss from Doug, and then it became go time!

The Swim

Swimming has always been a “just get through it” thing for me. I’m definitely not fast, but not the slowest either. Just kind of average. I settled in fairly quickly. My normal plan is to breathe 5 times on each side (10 total) and then sight. I also try to guess how many strokes it will take to get to the next landmark. The island, 100 strokes. The next bridge, 150. Usually I’m wrong, but it helps to pass the time.

It seemed like the swim was flying by. In no time, we were passing the Boathouse and then the rowing center. I assumed the current was flowing fairly well that day. The bridges came up quickly, and next thing you know it was time to turn left for the swim exit. My official swim time for the 2.4 miles was 1:01:01. Much better than my planned time of 1:10. Up the ramp, grabbed my bike bag, and in to the change tent I went! I swam in what I would wear on the bike, but I did make sure to slow down to make sure I had everything (from chamois cream to a snack) before heading out again. T1 took less than 7 minutes; once again better than the 10 minutes I had planned.

The Bike

I settled in quickly for a long time of riding 116 miles on Milo, my Cervelo PC3/awesome wedding present for Doug. Every 7 minutes I was sipping on my combination of Skratch Labs pineapple and watermelon Base aminos mix. I was eating Larabars along the way. Time felt like it was passing fairly quickly. I wanted to keep my heart rate in zone 2 for the majority of lap 1, which is around a 17 mph average for me. Doug and I caught up with Marsha, and little training group settled in for a good bike ride! The rollers down 193 felt easy; I think all that climbing up Lookout Mountain has been a big help this year. Very quickly we were turning onto Hog Jowl, and then cruising through Chickamauga to Special Needs. I ate my pb&j, grabbed my Snickers bar for later, slapped on some more chamois cream, and off we went to finish lap one and cruise through lap two.

I felt great on the bike. I knew I was keeping my pace and effort in check. Nothing major really happened during lap two. I continued to eat and drink, and at each aid station I was grabbing a bottle of water to spray all over my head, neck, and shoulders to keep cool during the bike ride. We quickly hit the end of lap two, and turned right to head back to town…woohoo! For some reason on the way back to town right before St. Elmo, I was extremely uncomfortable on the bike. Aero felt awful, sitting up felt awful. I think my lady bits were considering jumping off my body at this point. I toughed out the last few miles, and rolled back in to transition for a bike time of 6:44, again better than my planned time of 7 hours.

After handing off my bike to the awesome volunteers, I was handed my run bag by an adorable little girl, and back to the changing tent I went! I changed completely for the run. It’s refreshing to wear loose clothes that aren’t drenched in sweat at this point. I put some more lube on and stopped by the sunscreen tent (no chafing and no sunburn happened to be a goal for me this year) made for another 7 minute transition, again ahead of the planned 10 minute transition I had written down. Off to the run we went!

The Run

I like to run. I am actually trying to run every day this year. Yes, I did run the day after IM, and it wasn’t really that bad! But the IM marathon is potentially my nemesis, my enemy. I have yet to have a good IM run, and this year wasn’t really much of an exception. We saw Robyn very early on in the run (hi Coach!) which was a nice boost. At this point I was feeling pretty good, and I was looking forward to the last leg of the race. I was grabbing ice at each aid station to put in my 70.3 Worlds finisher hat (← shameless proud of myself for that race plug) and in my sports bra to keep cool. I was sipping water and some Gatorade at each aid station. We slowly made our way down Amnicola (my least favorite part of the course). My plan was similar to the bike; take the first loop very conservatively.

Unfortunately at some point, my stomach decided it hated me. This has happened every year. Nutrition fails me, and I’m shaking my fist at my run right now. I have had some great training runs this year; I have felt strong and optimistic, but once again the IM marathon said NO to me. Doug and I kept moving. Walking as needed and running when I felt able. We got to see our TRIbe friends, Connie and Sam, and Marsha’s husband on the first loop, and each time was a little boost of energy! We had friends on Barton Avenue partying in the front yard who took pictures and yelled for us. I was a little envious of them at the time. Through the golf course and back up and over Barton. There were tons of supporters which was awesome! Once we got to the Walking Bridge, we saw 2 of our very good friends, Ashley and Daniel. More photos, and Ashley even ran across the bridge with us!

We stopped at special needs, where I grabbed some peppermints and a few jolly ranchers. I felt tired, but all we had left was a half marathon. I had just posted time I was very proud of 2 weeks ago; I wanted so bad to have anything similar on race day. Nope. Mama Bear, aka Coach Robyn, told us that the race really starts at mile 15. Guess what…I started throwing up at mile 14.5! Guess I didn’t fuel correctly after all! Anyhow, a great volunteer brought me ice and some cold water, and essentially said I was nuts if I didn’t finish because we had more than enough time to finish the second lap. For the record, not finishing was never an option!

Lap 2 passed slowly. Eventually we left Amnicola, and got to witness a gorgeous sunset on the Riverwalk! It was getting dark out, and the temperature was finally dropping. My parents were at the top of Battery to cheer us on. It was a relief to see them! We crossed over Veterans’ to finish out the last few miles of our run. I was trying to do math the entire second loop to figure out how much time we had for the remaining miles because I wanted to finish under 14 hours SO BAD. Eventually we had 45 minutes to do the last 5k. I could do that in my sleep, right?! We saw Connie again on the Walking Bridge, and she walked across it with us. She is such a strong and inspiring person! When we started down Riverfront towards the finish, she was still yelling for us from the bridge. The finish line lights came on, and people started crowding the chute. I made sure to high five as many people as I could (especially the kids). Doug and I grabbed hands and raised them together as we crossed out 3rd full IM finish line together! It was incredible! Mike Reilly said both of our names, and even mentioned we were an Iron couple finishing together :D

Our total run time was 5:54, which was slower than my planned time of 5:40. But who cares!!! We still finished under 14 hours (13:54:27 to be exact).

IM Reflections

I am so proud! Sunday was over an hour better than my original PR. I am so proud of Doug for having a great day! I am also grateful that he stuck with me even though I bet he could have done much better. The next time we attempt a full, it will most likely be every Ironman for himself/herself so he can see how good he can do. I am lucky to have such a great training partner/husband/Ironmate in him.

To Marsha, you are amazing! Thank you for training with us and congrats on a great race! To the rest of the FX team, thank you to each of you. I believe we have a great group of people on the team, and I can’t wait to get to know each of you even more! The volunteers and the crowds were awesome Sunday. I truly think it was an amazing day!

That being said, I am looking forward to taking a break from the full distance to focus on getting faster at the 70.3 distance! I am excited by the year that I had (the Chatt 70.3, Costa Rica 70.3, Worlds 70.3, and IMChoo), and I am encouraged for next seasons of triathlon! I will be stronger and faster (hello climbing up mountains more and masters swim and speed sessions), and I will figure out nutrition! I am not done with fulls forever, but I am proud of being and Ironman x3!

Ironman Chattanooga 2017

September 24, 2017

I am an Ironman (again)! On Sunday, September 24

th

, I crossed the finish line of my 3

rd

Ironman

in 13:54, which is a PR of over an hour. What a day, and what a journey this year! I am going to

restate something that I am most proud of...my husband, Doug, and I have crossed each full IM

finish line together. In 2015 we were dating; 2016 we were engaged; 2017 we were finally

married! Surprisingly enough we don’t want to kill each other during these long, stressful (but

very fun) days.